This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

Notes on the Night Prayer, Swalah at-Tarawih, in Ramadhan

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is excerpted from Ahadits asw-Swiyam. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said, “Whoever prays at night in
Ramadhan out of faith and in the hope of Reward, his previous sins will be Forgiven.”

This hadits
is indicative of the virtue of praying qiyam
in Ramadhan, and shows that this is one of the means of forgiveness of sin. Whoever prays swalah at-tarawih as it should be prayed has prayed at night, qiyam al-layl, in Ramadhan.

Forgiveness is conditional upon “faith and hope
of Reward,” as stated here. What is
meant by “faith” is that when the person stands to pray qiyam, he believes in Allah (s.w.t.),
and believes in His Promise and in the virtue of praying qiyam, and in the greatness of its reward with Allah (s.w.t.).
“Hope of reward” means that he is seeking the Reward from Allah (s.w.t.) and is not doing it for any
other purpose such as showing off.

In a similar hadits, it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) said, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) used to encourage them to pray qiyam during Ramadhan, without commanding them to do it. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Whoever prays at night in Ramadhan out of faith and
in the hope of Reward, his previous sins will be Forgiven.”

So the Muslim should be keen to pray swalah at-tarawih, and should be patient
in completing the prayer with his imam. He should not neglect any part of it, or
leave before his imam, even if his imam does more than eleven or thirteen raka’ah, because the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Whoever prays qiyam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded that he spent the night
in qiyam.” It is only a few nights, which the wise man
makes the most of before they are gone.

With regards the witr, the following was recorded by Imam Abu Dawud (r.a.) about questions asked to his
teacher, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (r.a.). Imam Abu Dawud said, “It was asked of Ahmad
while I was listening: ‘Can qiyam [swalah tarawih] be delayed until the end
of the night?’

He replied, ‘The way of the Muslims is dearer
to me.’”

If a person is keen to pray whatever raka’ah he wants to at the time of suhur, pre-dawn, then he should not pray
witr again at the end of his prayer. Rather it is sufficient for him to pray witr with his imam in tarawih because
of the hadits of Thalq ibn ‘Ali (r.a.) who said, “The Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.) said, ‘There cannot be two witr in one night.’”

According to the hadits of ibn ‘Umar (r.a.),
the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Make the
last of your prayers at night, witr.”
This is to be understood as referring to
one who prays at the end of the night and did not pray witr at the beginning of the night.

The command here is to be understood as a
recommendation, not an obligation. It is
not essential to conclude the prayer at the end of the night with witr, based on the fact that the Prophet
(s.a.w.) prayed at the end of the
night, after his witr.

Imam Abu Dawud (r.a.) also said, “I heard Ahmad say concerning one who prayed witr at the beginning of the night then
got up to pray qiyam: ‘He should pray
two raka'at.’

It was asked, ‘Does he not have to pray witr?’

He replied, ‘No.’”

Imam Abu Dawud (r.a.) said, “I heard someone ask him about someone who wanted to
pray after witr: ‘Should he pray two
by two?’

He said, ‘Yes, but after witr, he should lie down.’”

The imam
should take care to pray swalah at-tarawih
properly. He should pray with proper
focus and humility, reciting in a proper manner and being at ease in ruku' and sujud. He should beware of
rushing lest he fails to attain the proper level of khushu’, focus and humility, and lest he make the weak, elderly and
sick among the people behind him get too tired.

as-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (r.a.) said, “‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab commanded Ubayy ibn Ka’b and
Tamim ad-Dari to lead the people in praying eleven raka’ah of qiyam.” He said, “The reciter used to recite the surah that contain more than a hundred
verses, until we would lean on sticks because of having to stand for so long,
but we did not leave until dawn was approaching.”

When the worshipper has said the taslim at the end of witr, he should say, “Subhan al-Malik al-Quddus,” “Glory be to
the Sovereign, the Most Holy,” three times, elongating the vowels and raising
his voice the third time, because it is proven that the Prophet (s.a.w.) did that.